Tales of the Aurors:  Book I:  The Dark Council
by AnimaRequiem
Summary: The first in a collection of short stories, each in 3 parts with 3 chapters per part, chronicling the missions and practices of the Aurors under the command of Harry Potter.
1. The Architect

_**Part I: The Vanguard**_

_**I.**_

_**The Architect**_

**Top Secret:**

**From the desk of H. P.**

**Auror File # 2337**

**Code Name:**

Architect

**Real Name:**

Ralph Garmund Britten

**Auror Exam Results:**

High Pass

**Speciality:**

Spell Architecture/Enhanced Legilimency

**Rank:**

Division Leader: Spell Creation and Adaptation

**Missions Attempted:**

137

**Successful Missions:**

137

**Failed Missions:**

0

**Reprimands:**

3

**Psychological Profile:**

Inconclusive, low sociability

**Ability Class:**

A: Highly Combat Effective

**Personal Notes/Observations:**

Anti-social yet incredibly powerful; Secretive, surveillance of activities recommended

* * *

><p>An aging, grey, cobblestone wall, slowly crumbling to its foundations, encircled a dilapidated house; a faint, flickering light was barely visible through the solitary window. The exterior of this small dwelling appeared unkempt, paint chipping off the warped wooden facade; what was left of the thatched roof dipped, dangerously, toward the innards of the structure. A meager dirt path led through dozens of dying shrubs to the front door, which appeared to have no visible means of admission. The door was a solid piece of wood, battered like the rest of the exterior, with no handle or adornments of any kind, effectively blocking any visitor from entering the premises. Showing every sign of disrepair, the house looked like a relic from a bygone age, forgotten to the pages of history. However, for all its apparent faults, this shack kept such overwhelming secrets, powers almost unimaginable, and terrors so horrifying that none but the boldest would dare confront. This apparently insignificant edifice was the laboratory of the Architect.<p>

The Architect was an odd man, solitary and quiet. He never spoke unnecessarily and was scarcely seen outside of either his lab or the Auror office; most people simply avoided him, consciously giving the man a wide berth to escape the awkward feeling associated with his presence. It was in his eyes; the Architect had a way of mentally penetrating even the most disciplined minds, a feat seemingly far beyond legilimency. Those eyes, fiercely blue and frighteningly agile, missed nothing. He saw every detail of every situation, every movement, every minute characteristic and used them to his advantage. It was precisely this ability that gave the Architect the keen senses, and sharp intellect, that aided his never-ending quest for total enlightenment. Long, curly locks of dirty-blonde hair formed a curtain around his ghostly-white face, pockmarked with the scars of many confrontations. His features were slightly aristocratic, with high cheekbones and a prominent brow; his unshaven and neglected beard was surprisingly thin, yet all of this suited him. He wore a long black traveler's cloak over a black button-up and slacks; the Architect preferred simple attire, it was unwise to foolishly adorn oneself with flashy outfits when trying to avoid unwanted attention.

The Architect was uncannily adept at spell creation, indeed much of the Auror spell arsenal was of his construction. He sat on a wooden stool, hunched over a long scroll with countless illustrations, instructions and crossings-out: the Architect was in the midst of creating a new spell. He was entirely out of sight, unless someone had their nose pressed up against the hut's grimy window; the interior was permanently enlarged to accommodate the increasing amount of research materials: books, parchment, potions and ingredients among a myriad of other components. A quick perusal of the work environment would have revealed little to a novice or amateur, the haphazard organization would look like laziness to some; but in actuality his unorthodox approach yielded startling results. Even the great Harry Potter adopted and praised his creations; both _Fulgaro Tempus_ (a time release light bomb, used for creating distractions) and _Contego Speculum _(conjures a shield capable of reflecting most major curses back upon the caster) are considered official Auror spells, required knowledge to enter basic training. Of course, he did not share all of his oeuvre, the Architect kept his most sinister works private. He recently completed experimentation on a new area effect spell: _Desino Cerebrus_. This enchantment was particularly ominous, it created an invisible barrier that, when passed through, immediately ceased all higher brain function (effectively turning any unfortunate victim into a mindless vegetable).

The Architect's brain was in overdrive, calculating the complex equations that went into creating a new spell. Every facet of a spell had an effect on its execution: wand movement, mental concentration, incantation, all must be present and in the correct balance for adequate results.

"_Too much motion, the wand movement needs to mirror the intended effect,_" his brain was whirring with silent computations:

"_Concentrate on an accumulation of energy, converted from a positive emotional fixation––triggered by memory association and gathered with a spiral wand motion..._" he was getting closer to a practical experiment.

"_Explosio Patronum... no, not good enough... Explosum... no..." _He wanted to create a more effective means of defeating dementors; _Expecto Patronum_ can only do so much, usually only successful at driving them off. The Architect wanted a spell that would incapacitate and destroy a dementor (with possible other uses), combining positive energy and explosive power: a patronus bomb of sorts.

A smile began to work its way across the otherwise unreadable features of the Architect's face, the incantation came to him; with one final scratch on his parchment he looked at the prototype charm: _Explosus Patronum_. The Architect stood up, and drew his cloak about him. Walking over to the window, he pulled back the moth-eaten curtain to see night blanketing the countryside.

"_Perfect_," he thought, "_under cover of nightfall I can begin practical tests immediately_." Drawing his wand from an invisible pocket, he waved it in a flowing, seamless motion, instantly vanishing his research materials. He walked to the door and tapped it, then passed through the solid wood out into the cold night air.

"_First, a powerful positive memory to stimulate the proper mental state..._" His mind, locked in concentration, was intensely focused on his chosen memory.

"_Second, channel the energy from the memory in a spiral pattern around the body..._" He began to circle his wand about his body, and as he did so, silvery-white spindles started to emanate from the wand tip.

"Explosus_..._" he held the wand above his head, "PATRONUM!" A gleaming silver falcon appeared for a split second, and with a loud, piercing screech, exploded in a massive wave of energy. It illuminated the night, its force ridding the dying shrubs of what little foliage was still clinging to their branches.

"Success!" cried the Architect, and his eyes betrayed a distinct glimmer of pride. Smirking, he turned to re-enter his laboratory and record the new charm in his log. It was then that he felt it, that familiar warmth from his back pocket. With a twinge of annoyance, he pulled out a large gold coin and examined it. He knew what it meant when the coin became hot: Harry Potter had a mission for him. Regretting that he would not be able to continue his work, he immediately turned on the spot and disapparated.


	2. Mist

_**II.**_

_**Mist**_

**Top Secret:**

**From the desk of H. P.**

**Auror File # 2339**

**Code Name:**

Mist

**Real Name:**

Nicole Elizabeth Turner

**Auror Exam Results:**

Pass

**Speciality:**

Espionage/Interrogation

**Rank:**

Division Leader: Intelligence

**Missions Attempted:**

126

**Successful Missions:**

123

**Failed Missions:**

3

**Reprimands:**

0

**Psychological Profile:**

Outgoing and Assertive

**Ability Class:**

A: Highly Combat Effective

**Personal Notes/Observations:**

Low incident risk; sociable and confident

* * *

><p>Two men in black, hooded robes swept through Knockturn Alley, their faces obscured. The nearby coo of an owl was the only sound outside of the hurried footsteps of the strangers. Knockturn Alley had transformed in the years after Voldemort's defeat; Harry Potter's campaign against the Dark Arts was fierce, and Knockturn Alley was his first target. One by one the shops closed down; it was difficult to maintain a business when magical law enforcement was constantly on the prowl, not to mention the rumors that a team of covert Aurors had been assigned to infiltrate the secrets of the magical underground. Most of the magical world went along with Potter's changes, but there were those who disagreed. Vehemently. The two men turned a corner, quickening their pace: it was essential that they avoided detection. Another turn, then another, they were now entrenched in the vast, labyrinthine alleyways of magical London. The owl's soft tones lulled the men into a sense of calm, allowing them a sigh of relief: surely they were beyond Potter's reach now.<p>

The taller of the two spoke first: "Do you have it?" He asked in an urgent whisper.

"Yes, I've secured the item" the other replied.

"Good, let me see it." said the first, holding out a gloved hand. The shorter man reached into a concealed compartment and produced a small package, roughly wrapped in dirty brown paper.

"Excellent! Give it to me!" said the taller one, unable to disguise the excitement and greed from his voice. The second man quickly held back the package, just out of reach.

"What about my payment?" he interjected, "I was promised 10,000 galleons for procuring the item!"

"You will receive your compensation when the authenticity of the item is verified, and not one moment before," the first man was visibly angered, quickly producing his wand, he held it to the throat of his companion, "if that is not suitable enough for you, I can arrange for a different settlement." He pressed the wand tip roughly into the other man's larynx.

"T-t-that won't be necessary sir," croaked the smaller one, barely able to breathe, "h-here you go, take it!" He pushed the package into the outstretched arms of his adversary, "just let me be on my way, I don't want any trouble, I don't even know why you'd want a dirty old relic like that! It's broken too, cracked right down the middle!" The owl's hoot became agitated, bothered by the sudden commotion.

"That is none of your concern," said the first man, snatching up the package, "I have my reasons, as do the other members of the council. Once we verify the item, a substantial amount of gold will find its way into your Gringott's vault. Now, I recommend you leave as quickly as possible, Potter has eyes everywhere." Turning on the spot, he tucked his wand away and disappeared into the dark streets.

Looking behind him, the second man, now alone, prepared to disapparate.

"INCARCEROUS!" yelled an unseen figure, and ropes bound the man's arms and legs, "SILENCIO!" came the voice again, nobody heard the man's scream for help. A slender figure in tight brown leggings and a white, fitted shirt appeared as if from nowhere, and walked up to the man's crumpled form. She had a blood-red cloak, long brown hair and hazel eyes. Her wand drawn and pointed at the man's face, she asserted: "If you attempt to call for help, or bring attention to us in any way, I will make you pay. If you tell me what I want to know, you may only spend a few months in Azkaban." She jerked her wand upward and the man was forcefully lifted to his knees, "Now, do we have a deal?"

He nodded vigorously, knocking his hood askew and revealing his face. He had feeble eyes and a weak chin, perhaps a day's worth of stubble on his cheeks. Fear was etched across his features.

"Very well then," she waved her wand and lifted the silencing charm, "who do you work for?"

"He does not reveal his name m'am," said the man in quick, high-pitched panicky tones.

"What do you do for this man?" said the woman, frowning slightly, not lowering her wand.

"I find things, objects, information, I'm good at finding things..." the man feebly replied, his voice trailing off. He could tell his answer was not pleasing to this woman, and hastened to prove his worth: "B-but I know things too! These wizards, they're powerful, practicing some very sinister magic! Everything they want, it's connected to ancient knowledge, they seek anything they can about accounts of ancient history!"

"What kinds of knowledge? Spells?" the woman was visibly intrigued, "We have information suggesting the ultimate goal of this group is to breach the statute of secrecy, is that connected to their search for ancient magic?"

"I don't know! But the things they want, they all concern accounts of the Peverell brothers!" This time he know he said something worthwhile, the woman's eyes betrayed her shock, "there is a council, the remnants of Death Eaters and pure-blood families, and they are obsessed with the ancient stories!"

"Peverell brothers? But why?" she seemed to be speaking to herself now, "that surname hasn't existed for generations, surely there must be some connection..." She turned and faced her prisoner, once again pointing her wand at his face, "what do you know about the man you met with tonight?"

"I know he's rich, and very powerful, a rival even to the great Harry Pott—umph!" a flash of red light left the woman's wand and hit the man square in the chest.

"Do NOT speak ill of Harry Potter in front of me!" she bellowed, grabbing the man by the shirt and forcefully pulling him upright, "SCUM like you, who worm about in the shadows, pandering to the likes of those who practice dark magic, are by no means a rival to Harry Potter!" She threw him full force and he hit the alley wall with a sickening crunch.

"Aargh, what was that for?" the man wriggled on the ground, struggling against the magical ropes binding his limbs, "I'm just saying he's dangerous, I've _seen_ him do things, things I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy!"

"Don't patronize me, I know full well what he's capable of!" replied the woman, her wand arm at the ready, "what was in that package you gave him!"

"I don't know—AAaargh!" the ropes binding his limbs began to glow with heat, "AARR, OKAY, OKAY! IT-It was a ring, a gold ring with a black stone! But it was broken, cracked down the middle!" The ropes returned to their normal color, the man sobbed against the cold alley wall.

"What does this ring have to do with the Peverell brothers, and why would he want it?" The woman pressed on for more information, "tell me, and do NOT skip anything!"

"The ring is old, the oldest artifact I've ever laid hands on, it took me two and half years to find!" the man seemed desperate to satisfy his captor, lest she use more creative powers of persuasion, "I was tasked with finding any objects with the Peverell coat of arms, they found a means of tracking the items, some kind of enhanced Protean charm, allows someone to sense when they are near an object!" The man gasped at every other word, as if he was trying to spill every bit of knowledge he had at once, "they gave me an enchanted talisman, here, take it!" he produced a golden necklace with a large emerald set on the front, "the jewel glows when you approach a Peverell artifact, the light gets brighter as you get closer!"

The woman took the talisman and examined it carefully, it was completely uninteresting were it not for this man's story. She was unconvinced, he could be lying, or he could have been deceived himself. "Specialis Revelio!" she said, pointing her wand at the talisman; the emerald instantly began to glow, the Peverell coat of arms appearing on its surface.

"Very well," she said finally, "it appears you are telling the truth." She pocketed the talisman, and once again turned to face the man. "But this alone would not be enough to find such rare artifacts, you would at least have had to know the general whereabouts of the objects themselves. How did you know where to look?"

"The underground hears many things," the man replied, smiling for the first time, "after a few months of digging around, asking the right people, I discovered that Grindelwald and Dumbledore once also sought all information they could find on the Peverells..." he knew he had her attention now, it gave him a slight pleasure to see that she was unsettled by how much he knew, "it took a long time, but I was eventually able to secure passage from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts school itself, I thought I would be able to scrounge up some information about Dumbledore's research; I never thought that the talisman would begin to glow as soon as I set foot on the school grounds!"

"There was an artifact in Hogwarts?" interrupted the woman.

"Not exactly," replied the man, "I followed the talisman's light, and it led me into the forbidden forest. It was there, deep within the trees that I found the ring, buried under years of fallen leaves and dirt. When I reported to my contact that I found a ring, he wanted it immediately, he was very insistent! Please m'am, that's all I know, I swear!" The man crawled as best he could to the woman's feet, a pitiful look in his eyes. With a meaningful expression, the woman knelt down and looked the man in the face.

"We will be lenient on you, I will personally make sure of that. However, I can't let you go. You consorted with dark wizards, passed valuable information and artifacts to them. You will be arrested and charged." She pointed her wand at his chest and said "Notus," a white light shot from the end of her wand and hit the man, a circle appeared on his chest.

"I marked you for retrieval, a magical law enforcement squad will be here to pick you up in minutes. Do not attempt to flee, that mark can't be removed except by a ministry sanctioned law enforcement wizard." Standing, she took quick stock of her surroundings and then disappeared into the twilight. The owl's soft coos once again filled the night air.

In the dark recesses of the magical underground, quite a distance from the captured man, the woman bent down in the shadows. She put her wand tip up to her temple and muttered, "Audire Sententia," a spell from the complex mind of the Architect, allowing the higher ranked aurors to communicate with each other through thought alone.

"_Mist to Knight, Ron are you there? _" she thought, wand still up to her head.

"_This is Knight, good to hear from you Nicole, how is the mission going? _" the response rang in her mind, she was instructed to check in with Captain Weasley if any valuable information was collected.

"_Well sir, I have a great deal to report, and I secured a talisman you and Harry may want to examine._"

"_Excellent, any unforeseen problems? _" Ron replied, conversationally.

"_No sir, but I do have a question, do you know anything about the Peverell brothers? _" Mist asked, trying to sound business-like rather than unsettled. There was a long pause before Ron answered.

"_Is the Dark Council searching for Hallows? Mist, tell me they aren't! _" Ron said, a note of urgency in his tone.

"_It appears they've obtained some kind of ring with the Peverell coat of arms on it, does that have any meaning to you? _" said Mist. Ron's reply came immediately, and she had the distinct impression that something was seriously wrong.

"_Continue to gather information, get to the rendezvous point and wait for the Architect and Wraith there. I will contact Harry and he'll have them meet you. Speak of this to no one, do not be seen, Knight out._" Ron severed the connection and Mist lowered her wand, more nervous than she was before. If Ron was sending in the Architect and Wraith, the other top auror officers, then the situation must be dire indeed. She stood up and turned around, facing the seemingly infinite passages of magical London. With a quick, swooping motion, she transformed into a graceful owl with red wings and a white brown body. Taking flight, Mist cooed into the night, heading for the rendezvous without a second's hesitation.


	3. Wraith

_**III.**_

_**Wraith**_

**Top Secret:**

**From the desk of H. P.**

**Auror File # 2327**

**Code Name:**

Wraith

**Real Name:**

Gerard Harold Averley

**Auror Exam Results:**

Pass

**Speciality:**

Dueling/Potions

**Rank:**

Division Leader: Strategic Operations

**Missions Attempted:**

234

**Successful Missions:**

226

**Failed Missions:**

8

**Reprimands:**

2

**Psychological Profile:**

Apathetic, aloof

**Ability Class:**

A: Highly Combat Effective

**Personal Notes/Observations:**

Experienced dueler, unemotional but reliable; occasionally utilizes unsanctioned means to accomplish missions

* * *

><p>Two men in dark, hooded cloaks strode to opposite ends of a large room with high ceilings and intriguingly decorated floors; two black ovals ornamented the ground at the men's feet, each with a golden "M" elaborately inlaid at the center. These emblems were connected by a thick, red stripe lined with gold borders. The room was longer than it was wide, with no windows and no visible door. Aside from the ornately emblazoned floor, the rest of the room was strikingly barren. The walls were unadorned and intensely white; they strangely appeared both solid and vaporous, almost like smoke. This chamber was special, this chamber was secret: this chamber was the combat training facility of the Aurors.<p>

The two men stood inside the ovals, facing each other; they removed their hoods, revealing their faces. The older man had long, wavy greying hair that looked as though it may have been a reddish-brown not too long ago. An X-shaped scar appeared over most of his face, slightly obscuring his once-handsome features. His brown eyes had an aged look about them, but rather than betraying weakness, they seemed to exude wisdom and power. He was wearing a leaf-green tunic and dark brown pants, secured with a brown leather belt. He had many compartments magically concealed throughout his outfit, containing all manor of concoctions that may prove useful in combat situations: magical smoke bombs, instant darkness powder, vials of poisons and antidotes, various potions designed to enhance physical or mental attributes and many more tricks and tactics. It was no wonder that this man, known as Wraith, rose to the rank of division leader of Auror Strategic Operations.

The other man was Wraith's junior by several years, yet lauded as one of the greatest modern wizards. Dark, untidy hair slightly covered the lightning-shaped scar on his far-head, his glasses moderately enlarged his bright, green eyes. Harry Potter quickly ascended the Auror ranks, achieving the Head office faster than any previous wizard; a feat not quite surprising, considering his famed defeat of Lord Voldemort. Harry was known for his compassion, his fairness and good-natured attitude; when he became Head of the Auror office he set about making serious changes in conduct and approach. Harry established what was now the Auror Code of Conduct: seek to apprehend at all costs, avoiding lethal force whenever possible. He focused Auror attention on gathering intelligence, utilizing carefully planned strike forces to minimize potential casualties (on both sides). However, despite his sincerest efforts to be fair and honorable, he did not have patience for dark wizards. His campaign against dark magic was fierce, though not shameful, forcing the practitioners of sinister spells into the underground, all but eradicating public support for pure-blood supremacy. But with every step forward the resistance grew more desperate, more determined to prevent further changes to their way of thinking. Harry was simultaneously a hero and a villain, a champion of justice and a tyrant. With each passing day a secret organization was growing, a council of dark wizards combining their forces and extending their reach. This looming threat was the greatest challenge the "Chosen One" had faced since vanquishing the Dark Lord.

Harry implemented a strict training regiment for all of his aurors, comprising of daily combat practice and magical research. He had the Architect constantly exploring new spells, Mist was on a top-secret reconnaissance mission and he and his second in command, Ron Weasley, had bi-weekly tactics briefings with Wraith. The situation was becoming more serious by the day, intelligence suggested that the dark council seeks to breach the international statute of secrecy, but to what end they did not know. They needed to be prepared, and Harry was insistent on personally making sure every one of his men was up to the challenge.

"You know the drill," said Harry, "first to disarm or incapacitate the other wins." Wraith locked eyes with Harry, standing at the ready with his wand drawn. Harry drew his own wand, preparing for the duel.

"Ready?" Harry asked, Wraith nodded, "all right then, let's go!"

"_Impedimentia_!" thought Wraith, pointing his wand at Harry's chest; a jet of light shot from the end of the wand, speeding at his adversary. Harry quickly blocked the attack with a confident swipe of his own wand, then returned fire. Wraith dodged the hex, running to the right and taking aim: "_Petrificus Totalus! _" he thought, and the spell charged at Harry. Barely moving, Harry conjured a gleaming silver shield, Wraith's spell struck the shield with a loud "thunk" and it immediately rebounded. He had to act quickly to avoid being hit, parrying the reflected spell. He kept his eyes on Harry, who had begun to sprint to the left, possibly attempting to out flank Wraith.

"_Barricadum Magnus! _" thought Wraith, pointing his wand at the ground along Harry's path and dragging it up in a slow, fluid motion. A gigantic stone wall sprung from the floor, blocking Harry's course; he was forced to jump aside to avoid running full force into the barrier. Wasting no time, Harry shot back a stunning spell to cover his escape, forcing Wraith to block the spell and affording Harry the time he needed to regain his footing.

Harry now seemed keen to keep Wraith occupied, shooting off spell after spell, not allowing time for a counter attack between strikes. At this rate, Harry would be upon him before he could muster up a suitable defense; taking quick stock of the situation, Wraith reached with his free hand into a concealed pocket on his belt and produced a small glass vial with dark grey liquid inside. Continuing to feverishly block Harry's onslaught, Wraith suddenly blasted himself high into the air and threw the vial, hard, at the ground beneath his feet. It struck the floor, shattering loudly, and immediately began pouring copious amounts of thick, grey smoke into the room, completely obscuring visibility.

Harry's offensive stopped, and Wraith landed deftly, barely making a sound. Wraith knew he had seconds before the smoke started to dissipate and Harry began attacking again; he had to discover the location of his aggressor before that happened. Pointing his wand to his ear he thought "_Audio Magnificum_" with every ounce of concentration he could muster; all of a sudden he heard it, footsteps to his left, about twenty feet away. Turning on the spot, he took aim at the source of the disturbance, thinking "_Expelliarmus! _" The red light shot through the smoke, thinning its veil as it sped through the vapor. All of a sudden, several bursts of red light shot through the mist at Wraith; falling to the ground to avoid being struck, Wraith cursed under his breath. Obviously Harry was expecting his little diversion and attempted to trick Wraith into giving away his position. More jets of light, he could not remain where he was, the smoke cover was losing its thickness with every passing second. Rolling to the left, Wraith pointed his wand at the source of the lights and thought "_Stupefy! _" The spell shot toward Harry, taking with it the rest of the smoke, but allowing Wraith the time he needed to prepare for another attack.

As the remaining wisps of grey flittered into nothingness, the two men were once again staring at each other from opposite ends of the room. Breathing heavily, Wraith spun his wand in a circle and produced a long, silver rope. Stabbing his wand in the direction of his opponent, the rope shot through the air. As it approached its target the end split into two, then each of those ends split into two, and so on until several silver cables threatened to ensnare Harry from head to foot. Acting swiftly, Harry conjured a magnificent long sword which, at its conjurer's bidding, began to swirl faster than a helicopter blade. Harry directed this lethally edged weapon at the coming attack, backing off slightly as it contacted the silver cords. With deafening clangs and reverberations, the sword and cables fell to the ground and disappeared instantly.

Recuperating from his failed attack, Wraith pointed his wand at his voice box and thought: "_Vocis Aggredis! _" and then let out a loud roar. The force of the sound wave created a visible distortion in the air as it spread from Wraith's mouth; Harry positioned his wand between his hands in a prayer-like fashion, muttering incomprehensibly under his breath. The sound distortion passed through him, pushing his form back a few feet but not causing any visible damage. Wraith scowled at the ineffectiveness of his attack and sent a few more sound waves toward his boss' figure. Harry finally stirred from his form, as if waking from slumber, and swiped his wand, hard, through the distortions, knocking Wraith off his center. Taking advantage of his opponent's momentary lapse in concentration, Harry sent a disarming charm at Wraith immediately followed by a body bind curse. Wraith barely blocked the first spell, but was struck in the chest by the body bind. Arms and legs locking into place at his side, Wraith fell to the floor with a dull thud.

Harry was panting as he approached the rigid form on the ground, incanting the counter-curse, he offered his hand to help Wraith to his feet. Harry pulled Wraith upright and, smiling, said "Good match! Where did you learn that sound wave spell? I had to use an energy shield to stop it knocking me off my feet!"

"It's a new one from the Architect," he replied, rubbing a fresh lump on his head, "rather ingenious actually, it amplifies your own words and sounds, the louder you yell, the more powerful the attack." The two of them made their way over to a far wall, Harry half supporting Wraith as they walked.

"I should be hearing from Ron soon about Mist's reconnaissance mission," said Harry, "hopefully it will bring good news."

"You sound as if you're expecting the worst!" said Wraith, separating from Harry, "surely the council can't have garnered enough support to threaten us?" Harry shook his head, thinking hard.

"It's not support I'm worried about, they're up to something, I know it! They've been more careful lately, we haven't been able to get reliable information for weeks!" Harry said, rapping his wand against an innocuous strip of wall, revealing an archway. The two of them walked through the dais, entering a room with several desks and a large, three dimensional map of London hovering over the floor.

"Do you think they're planning something?" Wraith asked, although he was rather sure he already knew the answer.

"Undoubtedly," said Harry, "the council has never been this good at hiding their activities, they must have figured out a way to conceal their movements."

"Is that why you sent Mist out alone?" said Wraith, "to avoid attracting attention?"

"Exactly," replied Harry, "I need to know what they're up to, and if anybody can find out, it's Mist." Just then, Harry stopped in his tracks; his eyes were closed and his face was showing every sign of severe concentration. Wraith knew what this meant, Ron must have contacted Harry with the _Audire Sententia_ spell. Waiting with baited breath, Wraith watched Harry intensely. After a few minutes, Harry's eyes opened, he looked stony-faced and quite grim. Reaching into an inner pocket, Harry took out a large gold coin and pointed his wand at it. The coin glowed hot for a few seconds, then returned to its original color. Turning to Wraith, he produced a sealed envelope and handed it over.

"Commit that to memory and then destroy it," said Harry, "it contains coordinates to a rendezvous point in the London underground, I've just relayed the message to the Architect via coin, he will meet you and Mist there. Once all three of you are present, await further instructions."

"Yes sir," replied Wraith, opening the envelope and examining the letter, "but, sir, these coordinates, they're deep within council territory!"

"I know Wraith," said Harry solemnly, "that's why I'm sending in you three, the Vanguard." Wraith nodded; pointing his wand at the letter, it immediately caught fire and fell to the floor, nothing but a mess of cinders and ash. With one final look into his leader's eyes, Wraith turned on the spot and disapparated.


	4. Portraits and Plans

_**Part II: Infiltration of the Underground**_

_**I.**_

_**Portraits and Plans**_

**Top Secret:**

**From the desk of H. P.**

**Mission File # 5457**

**Mission Rank:**

A: Extremely Dangerous

**Objectives:**

1.) Infiltrate the council headquarters

2.) Identify the members of the Dark Council

3.) Discern the purpose of the Peverell Artifact

3a.) If possible, recover the artifact

4.) Rendezvous at designated location in 24 hours

**Auror Assignment:**

Vanguard: Architect, Mist and Wraith

**Parameters:**

1.) Complete Secrecy

2.) Full Force authorization

**Possible Dangers:**

1.) Identification, if you are discovered before infiltrating the council, abandon the mission

2.) Dark Wizards, there is a high probability of combat on this mission

3.) Dark creatures, be prepared for the use of dementors, boggarts, etc.

4.) Capture, evade being taken prisoner at all costs

* * *

><p>Harry Potter raced through Hogsmeade as fast as his feet would carry him; it was essential he reach Hogwarts as soon as possible. Faint whispers followed him as he sped toward the outskirts of town, passersby craned their necks to get a better look at him. Even though he defeated Voldemort well over a decade ago, he was still made uncomfortable by the constant attention. Harry could not walk down the street without being beset upon by those who wanted an autograph, or a photograph, or to simply shake hands with the "Chosen One." It was all very irksome, after all he had work to do and could not afford the time to indulge the enamored masses today. Quickening his pace as the gates of Hogwarts came into view, Harry wondered to himself if coming here would accomplish anything; he had sent word to Headmistress McGonagall to expect him, but he was not sure if he would be able to garner much information. Nevertheless, he continued his fevered pace toward the school.<p>

As he approached the gate, a hunched, crotchety looking old man was visible through the gigantic iron bars. Harry smirked, he did not expect to be greeted by Filch, the caretaker.

"Hello Argus," Harry said as he reached the entrance.

"Just you then?" croaked Filch, clearly bothered by having to walk all the way across the grounds to greet Harry. Filch opened the gates, suspiciously eyeing Harry as he stepped across the threshold and onto the Hogwarts grounds.

"I will need to go immediately to the Headmistress' office Argus, would you care to accompany me?" Harry inquired in what he hoped was a respectful and polite tone.

"Oh, you _need_ to go _immediately_ to the Head's office eh?" repeated Filch in a derisive, mocking voice, "you expect me to just drop everything I'm doing then, just take you where you want to go? I'll remind you that I'm a busy man, Potter, and I don't take orders from you!"

"Please Argus, there is no need for such talk," sighed Harry, who expected something like this when he saw Filch at the gates, "I'll go myself, I know the way." Not pausing for Filch to find fault with admitting Harry unaccompanied into the castle, he pushed his way past the aged caretaker and hurried across the grounds. He felt a rush of nostalgia at the sight of the castle doors, every time Harry came to Hogwarts he could not help but remember his fondness for the school (after all, the place was where Harry first felt at home). It was unfortunate that he would not have the time to leisurely walk the halls or check in on his children today, but he had urgent business to discuss. The chatter of students was audible from the Great Hall as Harry walked by; with a wry smile he remembered all of the time he spent at those tables with Ron and Hermione, all of the adventures the three of them shared inside these walls.

He neared the stone gargoyles that marked the entrance to the Head Suite, coming to a halt he looked over the ornate statues with a happy fondness.

"Tabby Cat," said Harry, and the gargoyles leapt aside to reveal a staircase that slowly wound its way up to the Head's office. Stepping on the stone platform, Harry allowed the stairs to carry him to McGonagall's door. Pausing for a moment, Harry remembered the many times he was in this office as a student, although back then it was inhabited by Albus Dumbledore. He reached out his hand and gently rapped three times on the wooden surface.

"Enter," came the crisp, business-like voice of Minerva McGonagall from the other side of the door. Harry turned the handle and admitted himself into the office.

"Ah, Potter, I wasn't expecting you so quickly, what is it that I can do for you?" McGonagall said, standing to greet Harry as he entered the room.

"Hello Minerva," said Harry, lowering his head in a respectful bow, "I came to ask a favor."

"Of course Potter, what is it that you want?" replied McGonagall.

"I need to use your office, alone, for what may be several hours," Harry came right out with his request, there was no need to beat around the bush, and no time to be lost.

"My office?" said McGonagall, clearly taken aback, "may I ask what for?"

"I have a matter of great importance that I must discuss with Severus and Albus," said Harry, pointing to the portraits hanging above McGonagall's desk.

"Insolence!" cried a portrait of a pompous looking wizard from the corner of the room, "in my day one could not just walk in to this office and demand its use!"

"Clearly, Potter still has not learned humility," came the slow, snide voice of Severus Snape from his portrait above the desk, "a grown man and still patience eludes you, I cannot say that I'm surprised..."

"Enough Severus," said McGonagall, a disapproving look on her face, "you of all people should know if Harry came here to speak to you and Albus then it must be very important!"

"Oh yes," hissed Snape, "I'm sure the _Chosen One_ has a perfectly legitimate reason for being here, let me guess: you're head has grown too large and you would like me to teach you to brew a deflation draft to shrink it back to normal size?" Snape smirked, a few of the other portraits let out an appreciative chortle as well.

"Now Severus," a deep, clear voice came from the painting next to Snape's, "surely we can aid Harry in his request." Albus Dumbledore glared at Snape from his own frame, with a look that suggested casual amusement. "After all, what other pressing engagements do you have that require your attention?"

"I will grant your request Harry," said McGonagall, peering at Snape over her spectacles, "and both of you will aid him to the best of your abilities!" She finished, pointing at the portraits of Snape and Dumbledore in turn. "Good luck, Harry," said McGonagall before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

Harry sat himself beneath the portraits and turned his head up, looking at the faces of Dumbledore and Snape. "The resurrection stone has been acquired by dark wizards," said Harry, stony-faced, "apparently they used this to find it." He held out the emerald-emblazoned talisman for the former headmasters to see. "Do either of you recognize this device?" The two wizards in the paintings exchanged knowing glances, then turned their grim faces back to Harry, ready to reveal an ancient and well-kept secret.

Meanwhile, many miles away, the Auror Vanguard met at a predetermined location; the three figures were bent low, conversing in hushed voices:

"We should send Mist in first, as the owl, while you and I follow under the cover of disillusionment charms," said the Architect, his blue eyes assessing the environment, "the darkness in addition to the limited color of the stone walls will make it near impossible to detect us."

"I agree," replied Wraith, nodding, "that way you can scout ahead while we take note of the ground defenses."

"Risky," said Mist, a knowing look in her eyes, "splitting up the group this early may cause one or more of us to become lost, and that may attract unwanted attention."

"Nevertheless, we must approach the situation as intelligently as possible," retorted the Architect, a hint of impatience to his tone, "it makes more sense for you to fly in, scout out the area, and for Wraith and I to follow your directions. You can use _audire sententia_ while transformed, relaying information as quickly as possible, if all three of us attempt to go in on foot the likelihood of discovery is much greater; there are bound to be enchantments and guards to stop just such an occasion. They won't suspect the owl, so many fly by that no one will take notice, then we can sneak past anything with your instructions."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Architect on this one Mist," said Wraith, "we are deep in council territory, we need to be as careful as possible; the Architect's plan is sound, we should proceed along that path." Wraith and the Architect looked at Mist, waiting for a reply; she nodded in agreement, although she looked apprehensive about it.

"Very well then," said the Architect, "let's not waste any more time; Mist, perform the _audire sententia _spell and begin scouting, Wraith and I will follow when we receive your signal." Mist nodded, pointing her wand to her temple and performing the charm, then transforming into the owl and flying into the night. Wraith and the Architect faced each other and simultaneously disillusioned themselves, their camouflaged forms barely visible against the twilit stone walls.

"_Architect, Wraith, can you hear me? _" Mist's voice rang in the heads of her companions.

"_Yes, are we ready to move out? _" replied the Architect.

"_Almost,_" said Mist, "_I am approaching_ _coordinates supplied by our informant; there appears to be two wizards standing guard outside the door around the next corner, this must be the place._"

"_Got it,_" replied Wraith, he and the Architect slowly crept around the corner and, spotting the guards, took care to make as little noise as possible.

"_I'm about 80% certain that those guards are being observed, best we find another way in to the building,_" said Mist, "_I can see a blank stretch of wall on the right side of the building, looks unguarded, try to enter through there, hopefully there isn't anyone on the other side._" Wraith and Architect slowly made their way around the structure to the unguarded wall.

"_This is an awful risk to take,_" the Architect responded, "_is that the only part of the building unattended? _" The Architect suddenly stopped in his tracks, eyes darting around the dark alleyway. "_Wraith, stop where you are! _" Reaching out his hand, the Architect touched the stone wall. "_There is a motion detecting charm in this alley, see the unnatural ripple across the stone? If we were to cross it I'm sure somebody would be alerted to our presence._" Drawing his wand, the Architect traced the distortion from one side of the alley to the other; a faint, but entirely visible, ripple ran from one wall to the other, confirming the Architect's suspicions. "_I'm not sure I can dispel the barrier, we may have to find an alternate route._"

"_I swear, your eyes miss nothing! _" came the voice of Wraith, clearly impressed.

"_I found another entrance, but you'll have to retrace your steps a bit, it's on the other side of the building: a window about a third of the way up the wall, I can't see anyone through it._" Mist's voice once again rang in the other's minds, "_I'll fly up and make sure._" Waiting for the go ahead, Wraith and the Architect slowly crept past the guards again, approaching the window side of the structure. "_Seems like our best bet, but I want you to take a look when you get here Architect, just to make sure there aren't any hidden enchantments impeding our entry._"

"_I see no sign of enchantment from this side, strange, this seems like a glaring oversight on the part of the council, we should move with caution,_" said the Architect as he examined the window and walls. He pointed his wand at the window and gave it a little flick, the glass disappeared allowing them entry. First Mist flew in, then Wraith and the Architect hoisted each other up and inside. Mist transformed back into human form, then quickly cast her own disillusionment charm to camouflage her appearance.

"_Shall we move in? _" inquired Wraith as he eyed the door apprehensively.

"_Hold on, we should see how many people we're dealing with first,_" said Mist, waving her wand while incanting the Hominem Revelio spell. "_There are 12 people in the building, 2 on this floor, 4 below us and 6 in the basement; three guesses where the council is meeting..._"

"_We should attempt to reach the basement without alerting any of the guards, there may be enchantments in effect to monitor them in case they're attacked,_" said the Architect.

"_Agreed,_" came the simultaneous responses of both Mist and Wraith. If the effects of the disillusionment charm were not in effect, the three of them would have exchanged the familiar looks of understanding they usually shared in assignments such as this; they had been on so many missions together that they experienced a kind of camaraderie rarely found outside of military units. Indeed, with the sheer number of battles the three of them had been in, one would think they were a military ensemble.

Taking care to be as quiet as possible, Wraith pointed his wand at the door: it opened ever so slightly, allowing the three of them to squeeze through without disturbing the silence. Entering the hallway, they spied several rooms and an unattended staircase. Not waiting to find where the two guards were on the top floor, the Vanguard slowly inched down the steps. Upon reaching the bottom the trio stole quick glances around the landing. There were two doors at opposite ends of the room, each with two guards on either side.

"_Which door do you reckon leads to the basement? _" asked Mist.

"_It's the one on the left,_" replied the Architect, "_the door to the right has not been opened for several days, you can tell by the dust forming at the tops of the hinges; also, the left door bears the unmistakable signs of an imperturbable charm: note that those guards are standing several inches further from the door than the others and the distinctive shine of the barrier._"

"_Well spotted, Architect,_" said Wraith, "_now the question remains: how do we gain entry to the basement without alerting the guards? _"

"_Leave that to me! _" said Mist as she pointed her wand at each guard in turn, silently incanting some unknown spell. The four figures all looked up at the stairs, clearly Mist's spell caused them to hear a false disturbance from the top floor.

"What in the blazes was that?" asked a clearly shaken guard, a hint of nervousness in his voice, "I thought this place was supposed to be secret?"

"It's prolly just Mekare, she was always a bit clumsy," said another, putting on a brave face, "I'll check it out, you stay here; Carrin, come with me." The two forms headed up the stairs to check the source of the disturbance, leaving two guards behind. Brandishing her wand once more, Mist pointed it at the figures heading up the steps and thought "_Muffliato,_" successfully ensuring that they would not hear any commotion from below. Creeping closer to the remaining guards, Mist waved her wand in a complicated motion before directing it at the figure standing in front of the door leading down to the basement.

"Ugh, I don't feel so good," said the guard, the color draining from his face, "I think I'm gonna be sick!" He ran off and up the stairs, a hand pressed tightly over his mouth to ward off the possibility of vomiting all over the floor boards.

"Oi, great, now I'm alone!" lamented the last guard, clearly not keen with the idea of being the sole protector of whatever was happening in the basement. Smirking at the guard's misgivings, Mist raised her wand and took aim. The remaining sentry slowly slid down the wall where he fell, clearly asleep.

"_That should buy us at least 5 minutes, now we just have to break through the imperturbable charm on the basement door_," said Mist.

"_I do believe I can manage that_," came the dry, serious tone of the Architect's voice. He walked toward the door and traced his wand around its frame, as he did so the charm's area of effect began to glow. Muttering some strange incantations, inaudible to the others, the Architect continued to outline the door frame. Suddenly, he jabbed his wand into the glowing barrier and it instantly disappeared.

"_There, I've dispelled the charm, Wraith, do you have the extendable ears?" _asked the Architect.

"_Three pairs, right here," _replied Wraith, magicking them to Mist and the Architect, "_I've done some tinkering with these ones, they are only visible to the user, so when the guards come back they won't notice the strings underneath the door._"

"_Good work!" _cried Mist, securing her extendable ear and winding it beneath the door. Wraith and the Architect did likewise, and slowly the hushed tones of the meeting in the basement became audible.

"The council promised us that Magical Law Enforcement wouldn't get involved!" came an angry voice in accusatory tones, "but Wyndle has been captured, and some believe it wasn't just any enforcement squad, but one of Potter's Auror elites! If we have a team of Aurors on to us, there is no telling the danger we are in!"

"Calm down Orion; Wyndle was indeed captured, but there is no evidence to suggest that it was an Auror who apprehended him!" replied another in a more commanding, confident voice, "but you need not worry, Wyndle was successful in retrieving the Resurrection Stone, which I have personally delivered to the other members of the council and is now being kept in a safe place."

"_I recognize that voice!"_ said Mist, with a hint of anxiety, "_he was there when I captured the informant, he's one of the leaders of the council! That's Blaise Zabini!"_

"_Dammit!" _cried Wrath, "_this isn't a council meeting! Our intelligence was wrong, this is some kind of recruitment gathering!"_

"_It would seem so,_" responded the Architect, "_however, we should not give up on an opportunity to discover the purpose of the artifact; we have already infiltrated the meeting, perhaps we should gather as much information as possible and then try to take in Zabini._"

"But the talisman has been taken! Without that, the plan will not succeed!" yelled someone from the meeting.

"True," replied Zabini, "but there are plans we can put into motion immediately. I speak, of course, about learning the great stores of knowledge from long-dead witches and wizards; we will use the resurrection stone to bring back the greatest wizards of all time, and learn their secrets. Not even Harry Potter will be able to stand in our way when we arm ourselves with infinite knowledge!"

"_I wonder what the talisman is for?" _inquired Mist, "_obviously it's more than just a tool to track Peverell artifacts._"

"_Indeed,_" said Wraith, "_Hopefully the boss has made some headway on that end._"

"That is of little comfort to us!" came a woman's voice from the basement, "the talisman contains a most ancient magic, honed and perfected over generations, designed as the counterpart to the resurrection stone! Do you know how long we have been waiting for a united attempt? You said we could trust your informant, he was captured, how do we know he didn't reveal the location of this safe house? You take too many risks, why yo–" her voice was muffled by a gargled, choking noise. The Vanguard heard her feeble attempts at breathing, unable to respond.

"How DARE you speak to me in such tones!" shouted an angered Zabini, "do not forget your place, whelp, I know the talisman is important, we are working on a solution; until then we should use the stone to learn, we may even be able to construct a new talisman. However, if you EVER speak out of turn again, you will suffer my...displeasure." He placed a particular emphasis on the last word, as if he was savoring its effect. The woman suddenly gasped for breath, evidently, Zabini had lowered his enchantment.

"I... apologize... sir," she gasped, barely able to speak.

"Very well," said Zabini, "we shall proceed as planned, we will contact you in the usual way within the next 48 hours; the council is glad of your assistance, when we achieve our goal, your sacrifices will not be forgotten."

"_Time to act,_" said the Architect, drawing his wand.

"_On the count of 3,_" responded Wraith, "_1...2...3...Move!"_

Blasting open the basement door, the Vanguard broke their disillusionment charms. All three of them sent quick stunning spells at the closest adversaries, using the element of surprise to their advantage. As the bewildered forms of the stunned wizards fell to the ground, the remaining three quickly drew their wands and prepared for battle.

"Blaise Zabini," said Mist, "you are under arrest for suspected participation in dark magic, if you come quietly you may avoid further charges."

Zabini laughed maniacally, an amused look in his eyes, "so Potter did manage to get some information from Wyndle; too bad he'll never know, he won't even find your BODIES!" Zabini launched himself, wand out, directly at the Vanguard, his remaining comrades following in his wake.


	5. The Underground Ablaze

_**II.**_

_**The Underground Ablaze**_

"Barricadum Magnus!" came the simultaneous cries of the Vanguard, making identical wand movements while gigantic stone barriers sprang from the ground. The three comrades then stabbed their wands in the direction of the oncoming foes; the barriers closed in on the enemies with alarming speed, pinning Zabini and his two cohorts against the wall.

"Encapsulate!" roared the Architect, swirling his wand, and the stone barriers twisted into a roof over the captured enemies' heads. The Architect let out a disappointed sigh, he was expecting more from such a famed wizard. Accepting his dissatisfaction, the Architect began to walk toward the apprehended foes. Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from within the stone prison; it grew louder and louder until the noise was almost unbearable. The Vanguard were forced to cover their ears to soften the voluminous sound, then it happened. BOOM! The stone cell exploded in a shower of bricks and dust, two jets of green light speeding out from the debris cloud. Mist and Wraith dived aside to avoid being hit, looking up as the dust cleared. The Architect smiled: apparently this would not be as disappointing as he first thought.

* * *

><p>"Ron!" yelled Harry as he walked into the office, "have you heard anything from the Vanguard?"<p>

"No, not yet mate," answered Ron, "but they still have 5 hours until the rendezvous right?"

"Yes," sighed Harry, pulling up a seat next to Ron, "but I need the Architect as soon as possible, I want him to examine this talisman." He produced the ornate necklace from an inside pocket, holding it out in front of his face.

"I take it our Hogwarts picture friends proved themselves useful then?" inquired Ron, eyes transfixed on the emerald-emblazoned item. "What did you find out from Snape and Dumbledore?"

"More than I bargained for, actually," said Harry, turning to face his friend, "they both instantly recognized it, apparently it's somewhat of an ancient secret." Harry was unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice as he spoke.

"Something wrong mate?" asked Ron, he had not seen Harry act like this since the horcrux hunt so many years ago; Harry shook his head in a manner not entirely convincing enough to end Ron's line of questions. "You can't fool me Harry, we've been through too much, what did they tell you about that talisman?" Harry absentmindedly ran his fingers through his hair, to this day it was as untidy and unruly as it had always been; he knew full well that Ron had to be told about their situation.

"The talisman, or Soul Switcher as legend calls it, is used to switch one soul for another," Harry told Ron, his voice tainted in disbelief, "during the time of the Peverells, after they had completed the infamous Hallows, there were many who sought the mythical objects. The cloak succeeded in being passed down through the generations, however the wand and the stone were not so lucky. According to Snape and Dumbledore, the stone eventually found its way into the hands of the brilliant magical researcher Janus Luminess..."

"Who?" Ron interrupted, "never heard of him..."

"Neither have I," responded Harry, "but I asked your wife and she was familiar his name. Although she had never heard any mention of the Soul Switcher, she did explicitly mention that there were rumors that he, at the very least, possessed the resurrection stone at one point or another; but he eventually vanished, and to make matters worse, there is no account of what happened to his research after he disappeared. But apparently he devoted years to studying the resurrection stone and discovered how it worked: it tears a departed soul from beyond and brings it into the living plane. The stone itself acts as a vessel for the souls to bond to, not unlike a horcrux, although the soul is not damaged or broken in the process.

"Well, Janus is said to have experimented with the stone, attempting to copy and alter its design to create a new object, capable of switching a soul from one vessel with another." Harry saw comprehension beginning to dawn on Ron's face, his expression a mix of intrigue and slight confusion.

"So let me get this straight," said Ron, "the talisman is apparently this 'Soul Switcher' thing, and it can switch souls from one thing with another?"

"That's the gist of it," answered Harry, "Snape and Dumbledore said very few people know this story, and that most believed the rumors were stirred up by Luminess himself to bolster his reputation. But when he disappeared all of his research went with him, and the next known whereabouts of the resurrection stone was in Marvolo Gaunt's little hovel. When you told me Mist said she had some kind of talisman that could track Peverell artifacts, I knew there had to be more to the story."

"But why would this Luminess want to switch out souls?" asked Ron, wracking his brains. Harry stared at him with an exasperated look on his face, as if he could not quite believe his friend was being so thick.

"Really Ron? Why would he want to switch out souls?" Harry said, mustering up as much patience as he could, "obviously he wanted to bring souls back from beyond, bound to the resurrection stone, and then switch them with souls bound to living bodies: it's a way to bring people back to life." Harry's tone was completely serious, and his eyes bore into Ron's, willing him to understand the horrors that would accompany the council getting their hands on this.

"How could the council have heard about this Soul Switcher? From what you said, Snape and Dumbledore weren't even sure it existed until you showed them..." said Ron.

"I'm not sure, it's possible someone sympathetic to the council just chanced upon it, I mean Voldemort didn't know that he turned the resurrection stone into a horcrux," said Harry, "nevertheless, I'm glad we at least have one half of the puzzle, without this talisman the council will not be able to bring a soul back to this world permanently."

"Do you think they mean to resurrect Voldemort?" inquired Ron, and to this day his voice still shook a bit when he spoke the name.

"Maybe," responded Harry, "but I've seen what's left of Voldemort's soul, I doubt it would work correctly." Harry paused a bit, apparently contemplating the situation, then resumed speaking, "but there are any number of Dark Wizards they could bring back that would be serious threats: Bellatrix, Slytherin, and so many more. The sooner we begin researching this talisman, the better, I want everything about it figured out, I may even have Hermione and a few of her specialists come in on this one." Ron looked a little perturbed at this suggestion, he never liked it when Harry asked Hermione for help on anything that could be considered dangerous. If the council continued to gain support they could start up another open conflict the likes of which have not been seen since the Great War, and Ron was sure that Harry and the Aurors would be the front lines of any prolonged conflict. If Hermione got publicly involved with any kind of joint initiative, she would be targeted. Harry seemed to read his mind, because at that moment he said, "Listen Ron, being married to you already makes her a target, as does being head of Magical Law Enforcement, nothing you or I do is going to change that. Plus, Hermione is one of the most talented witches I know, I wouldn't cross her that's for sure!"

Ron perked up slightly at Harry's reassurance, but hastened to change the subject anyway, "So, annual Hogwarts defense lecture coming up soon eh? Anything special planned for this one?" Ron asked jovially, attempting to cover up his momentary sullenness.

"Actually, now you mention it, I do!" said Harry, a smile on his face, "I'm going to give a practical demonstration on dueling, you know, like the one we had second year? Only this one won't have Gilderoy Lockhart mucking it up." Ron chuckled appreciatively, his mind wandering back to that awful day so long ago.

"That was the day everyone found you were a parselmouth," laughed Ron, "people thought you were the Heir of Slytherin for weeks after that!"

"I remember, I remember," said Harry, the bitter nostalgia biting at his pride, "I was so naïve back then, barely able to get the hang of floo powder..." Harry gazed reminiscently at nothing in particular, his life was never really carefree or without danger; but, he supposed the years at Hogwarts before Voldemort returned were really the most relaxing he could remember. After the fall, there was so much work to be done, and he was constantly being interviewed, giving speeches and accepting general accolades from every angle. Never keen to sit back and allow others to pamper him, Harry and Ron immediately entered Auror training when they learned that they were exempt from finishing their schooling (apparently being heroes had a few perks); that kept them busy for several years, then actually working as an auror was always full of excitement.

At that moment, both Harry and Ron sat bolt upright, each putting a hand to a pocket. Their communication galleons had begun to glow red hot; they produced the coins and simultaneously deciphered the message. Exchanging a look of concern mingled with anxiety, they both drew their wands and readied themselves for what lay ahead. Tapping his wand against the coin, Harry replaced it in his pocket.

"We'll be joined by two more junior aurors, hopefully that will be enough," said Harry, scrutinizing the situation.

"If the Vanguard is having trouble, we may need a whole enforcement squad to bail them out," Ron knowingly replied.

"Can't risk it," said Harry, shaking his head, "we need to try and keep this small, Architect's message said they were cornered by a council member and several other adversaries, sounded like they're greatly outnumbered." Harry looked at Ron, a determined glimmer in his eyes, "Ron, the council member is Zabini, if we can bring him in it will do wonders for intelligence." With that the two friends turned on the spot and disapparated.

* * *

><p>When the room was clear of dust and smoke, the three forms of Zabini and his remaining henchman were impressive against the backdrop of rubble. The Vanguard appeared haphazardly strewn about the room, the explosion temporarily caused them to lose focus. Capitalizing on the currently lax defenses of his opponents, Zabini wave his wand in a broad arc over his head. Fiercely bright, blood-red fire erupted from the ground, forming a burning perimeter around the duelers and simultaneously cutting off the only exit from the room. Zabini laughed.<p>

"By now the protective spells I personally cast around this building will have activated," he said, an arrogant smugness to his tone, "all of my guards and several other groups will have been notified that something is awry! In minutes more than 10 people will come to my aid, that is, if you can last that long!" Taking a confident step forward, Zabini slashed his wand down, like a sword. A glowing, transparent blade, at least 10 feet in length appeared over his head. Laughing every step of the way, Zabini demonstrated how the conjured, larger-than-life, blade followed his every wand swipe as if it weighed nothing. He advanced, brandishing the magical sword menacingly.

"_Contego __Speculum_," thought Wraith, and a silver shield appeared. Grabbing the shield, he inched toward Zabini and the other guards; Mist and the Architect did likewise, forming a kind of magical phalanx as they made their way across the room.

"Confringo!" shouted the witch who spoke up during the meeting, pointing her wand at Wraith. With a loud, metallic PONG, the spell struck his shield, instantly ricocheting back toward her; ducking beneath the rebounded spell, it hit the wall behind her, exploding overhead. She scowled, ready to strike again. She raised her wand but was waved down by Zabini, who swiped his wand back and forth with alarming speed. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! The magical sword struck the shields heavily, preventing the Vanguard from advancing another step. The onslaught was so fast that they could barely block the strikes, let alone counterattack. CLANG! CLANG! More sword strokes pushed the Vanguard back, just a few feet between them and the flames.

The Architect swiftly took in the room, thinking to himself, "_long__ table,__ six__ chairs,__ rubble__ concentrated __in__ back__ left __corner,__ several __loose__ bricks..._" He gave his wand a subtle swish and flick, making sure to keep his shield raised against the massive sword. A chair levitated from the table and soared straight into the feet of one of the assailants; with a loud yell, he toppled into Zabini, knocking him off balance and dispelling the giant, magical blade. Quickly lifting his wand, the Architect caused the long table to flip forward, blocking the witch's retaliatory spell and allowing Wraith and Mist the split second they needed to regain an effective dueling stance. The table, still hovering in the air, suddenly snapped in two, each half hurtling into the flames and instantly disintegrating.

Zabini stood in the center of the room where the table had been, his wand raised over his head, streaks of lightning gathering at its tip. He suddenly swiped the wand down, and with a loud CRACK, electric jolts flew through the air at the Architect. Reacting quickly, the Architect threw his shield at the lightning blast, directing its path with his wand he thought: "_Engorgio._" The shield instantly grew to three times its size, the electric shocks dully bouncing off of its polished exterior. Running full force at the enlarged shield, the Architect shot a stunning spell at the wizard attempting to regain his footing.

"Try to eradicate the fire!" roared the Architect, jabbing his wand at the wizard his stunner had just missed; the man flew through the air and into the demonic, eerily red flames. His screams of pain were as excruciatingly loud as they were brief: his body crumbling into dust in mere seconds. "It's a Hellfire curse, disintegrates matter on contact, you'll need a powerful anti-flame charm to break them!" he shouted, blocking more of Zabini's lightning.

Mist began attempting to overcome the flame barrier while Wraith swiped his wand at the still standing woman, a burst of yellow arcing across the room. She attempted to dodge the careening spell, but it struck her legs as she jumped. She yelled in shock as her feet joined together and began to form into tree roots, burrowing into the ground. Wraith yelled "Incarcerous!" and ropes bound her arms. "Only Zabini left!" shouted Wraith, turning to aid the Architect who was dueling fiercely with Zabini.

"Got it!" said Mist, and the flames began to recede back into the floor. She pointed her wand at the door, forcing it open. "Let's go! I don't want to be here when the reinforcements arrive!" Wraith ran to join her, but the Architect either ignored the plea or was too engaged in the battle to notice. A deflected spell sped past Mist's face, turning her head to see its progress she gasped; no less than 5 more duelers were coming from the upper floors. "WRAITH!" she yelled, "I need your help!" The two aurors met the crashing spells of the reinforcements, attempting to blast a way out of the building.

"ARCHITECT!" yelled Wraith, sweat dripping from his brow, "time to leave, we won't capture Zabini before we're overwhelmed!" But the Architect was not listening, he lifted his wand and circled it in front of his body: large metallic tentacles appeared from nowhere, snaking their way toward Zabini. Reacting quickly, Zabini made a complicated motion and the tentacles turned into actual snakes; the slithering forms reared to bite at the Architect who, with lightning-fast reflexes, vanished the snakes and sent a disarming charm at Zabini.

"SHIT!" cried Mist as another two figures ran toward them, "we need to make an exit, NOW!" She pointed her wand at the door across from her, with a deafening CRASH it flew off its hinges into the crowd of opposing fighters. Taking advantage of the disarray, she aimed her wand between Zabini and the Architect and screamed "PROTEGO!" The force of the shield charm separated the duelers, the Architect seemed to awaken from a dream and, realizing the direness of the situation, headed up the stairs to join his comrades.

"STOP THEM!" bellowed Zabini, trying to edge his way around the still active shield charm. The Vanguard stood back to back, deflecting spells from every angle and making their way over to the newly opened doorway. Wraith went through first, followed by the Architect and finally Mist, blocking a spell before magically sealing off the empty frame. The three comrades took in the room around them, it was large and filled with old furniture. On the far wall was another door, possibly the one with the two guards that they passed on their way into the building. They could hear the sounds of the pursuers trying to break into the room.

"We're going to have to bust through that door," said Wraith, "we have no other exits." The other two nodded in agreement.

"First, let me buy us some time," said the Architect as he swept his wand in front of him, taking in the entire room. All of the furniture seemed to creak and glow for a moment, then it erupted into life. Tables standing on two legs, chairs galloping around the room and every little trinket sprang into action. The furniture formed a defensive wall between the Vanguard and the sealed door frame, ready to defend them in case of a breach.

"Good work," said Mist, turning her attention to the other door, "now to open this side..."

"Stand aside!" Zabini's voice was audible through the seal, he had apparently escaped the basement, "stand ASIDE I say!" There was a shuffling of feet and then a loud crack, the seal was broken. Reacting immediately, the enchanted furniture stormed the doorway; the tables and chairs kicked and struck out at the oncoming foes, forming a dangerous protective barrier between them and the Vanguard.

"Time is of the essence!" said the impatient voice of the Architect, taking a battle stance.

"You didn't seem to be in much of a rush back in the basement!" replied Wraith, preparing for the duel himself.

"Got it!" said Mist, pushing open the door and stunning the two guards, "Let's move!" The three of them ran out the threshold and into the night, the Architect turned and sealed the door before joining the other two. Mist looked at her partners and said: "We should go to the rendezvous point, we have some useful information so it wasn't a total bust." Loud thumps came from the newly sealed door. "The sooner the better."

"Okay, let's go," said the Architect. They simultaneously turned on the spot, but were unable to disapparate. Exchanging puzzled expressions, they tried again and failed. "When we triggered the defensive spells there must have been one that disabled apparition!" The Architect was visibly annoyed, his demeanor suggested impatience rather than fear or anxiety. "We'll have to find a way out on foot..." The three comrades turned a corner and were immediately bombarded with jets of assorted colored light. Reacting with incredible speed, the Architect pointed his wand in front of them and shouted "Flatio Ventus!" An enormous gust of wind blew from his wand tip; reaching his arms out, he latched onto his partners and the three of them were blasted out of the way from the force of the air.

"Proximity charms! We must be surrounded!" said Wraith, regaining his footing.

"We'll have to fight our way out!" replied Mist, brandishing her wand, "thanks for the quick spellwork Architect, you saved our collective arses there!" A thunderous boom filled the night behind them, Zabini must have broken the second door's seal. "Shit! I don't think we can handle this many people, we're in a bad spot here!"

"No exits, we have to fight," the Architect looked almost excited at the challenge, "we'll just have to hold them off, I'll send for backup and update the boss through the coin." He took a large gold coin from his pocket and tapped it with his wand, muttering under his breath; the coin glowed red for a moment and then returned to normal. "I give it 20 minutes or so before they arrive, think we can handle it?" The Vanguard locked eyes, all three betraying their emotions: the Architect's wild excitement, Wraith's pensive concern and Mist's determined boldness.


End file.
